Outboard mounted brake

ABSTRACT

A nonrotatable axle carries wheel support means upon which a wheel is rotatably journaled. A brake disc is drivingly connected with the wheel for rotation therewith. A caliper means engageable with said brake disc is connected with the axle means and held against rotation with respect thereto. Both the brake disc and the caliper means are disposed outboard of the wheel support means.

United States Patent lnventor Keith W. Tantlinger 3,191,735 6/1965 Wavak192/702 X Grosse Pointe Shores. Mich. 839.626 12/1906 Nielsen. 152/417Appl. NO. 826,891 2,648,571 8/1953 Chapin r 1 188/18 (A) X Filed May22,1969 2,659,458 11/1953 Mercier... 188/724 X Patented Julie 22, 19713,061,050 10/1962 Horn 188/18 (A) X Assignee Fruehaut Corporation3,276,503 10/1966 Kilmarx 152/417 FOREIGN PATENTS 774,700 5/1957 GreatBritain 188/724 OUTFOARD MOUNTED BRAKE Primary Examiner-George E. A.Halvosa 2 Claims, 3 Drawing 8 Attorney-Bryan and Butrum u.s. C1 188/18A, 152/417,188/724,188/73.5,188/218 A, 188/370, 192/702 Int. Cl a 1 1 1B60t1/06, F16d 55/224 Field of Search 1 188/18 A,

ABSTRACT: A nonrotatable axle carries wheel support means upon which awheel is rotatably journaled. A brake disc is drivingly connected withthe wheel for rotation therewith. A

caliper means engageable with said brake disc is connected with the axlemeans and held against rotation with respect and the caliper means are71172.4, 152.1373,filin /053,218 A; 152/417, 70.2

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS thereto Both the brake disc2,764,261 9/1956 Bridges 188/735 disposed outboard of the wheel supportmeans.

PATENTED M22197! mvmwon KEITH W. TANTLINGER ATTORNEYS OUTBOARD MOUNTEDBRAKE BACKGROUN D OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to abrake for use on automotive vehicles such as trucks, tractors, trailersand the like, and, more particularly, to a disc brake employed with adead or nonrotatable axle.

In the past, brake mechanisms associated with the wheel means ofautomotive vehicles have been positioned inboard of the wheel supportmeans since it was considered advisable to so position the brake meansin order to protect the brake mechanism.

However, such conventional prior art arrangements suffer from a numberof disadvantages. Firstly, it is difficult to gain access to the brakemechanism, and, accordingly, maintenance of the brake means as well asreplacement of parts thereof is difficult. Furthermore, when working onsuch inboard mounted brake constructions, the wheel bearing adjustmentis often disturbed and loss of lubricant and contamination thereofoccurs.

A further disadvantage of known inboard mounted brake mechanisms is thefact that cooling of the brake components is not satisfactory, andconsequently such arrangements often produce excessive heating of thebrake components. Additionally, visual inspection of the parts of thebrake mechanism is difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention includes a nonrotatableor dead axle having wheel support means and wheel means rotatablyjournaled by such wheel support means. The brake means includes a brakedisc drivingly interconnected with the wheel means as well as a calipermeans which is engageable with the brake disc, the caliper means beingconnected with the outer end of the axle.

Both the brake disc and the caliper means in the present invention aresupported outboard of the the wheel support means thereby overcoming theaforementioned disadvantages of the prior art and providing significantadvantageous features.

The outboard mounted brake means of the present invention provides readyaccess for maintenance or replacement of parts of the brake meanswithout disturbing the wheel-bearing adjustment or risking lubricantloss or contamination.

The brake means is also afforded maximum cooling to therebysubstantially reduce the possibility of the brake components overheatingduring use. In addition, visual inspection of the various parts of thebrake are greatly simplified.

A further advantage of the present invention is that it enables dualtire inflation as well as balance of pressure between two side-by-sidetires while in transit. The tire pressures can also be monitored at alltimes. Still a further advantage of the outboard mounted brake mechanismis the fact that it provides a relatively simple arrangement forattaching an antiskid sensing and modulating device of knownconstruction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an end view of anoutboard-mounted brake according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantiallyalong line 22 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

FIG. 3 is a cut away view of a modified form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawingswherein like reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the various views, a nonrotatable or dead axle of a vehicleis provided with a longitudinally extending bore 12 formed therethroughwhich opens through the outer end 14 thereof.

A wheel means includes a wheel hub 16 rotatably journaled on bearings 20which are, in turn, supported upon spaced cylindrical portions 22 of theaxle. Seals 24 are disposed adjacent to each of the bearings 20, theseseals being disposed in surrounding relationship to the portions 22 ofthe axle. Nuts 26 are threaded on suitable threads provided on portions22 of the axle for retaining the bearings and seals in the operativeillustrated relationship.

A pair of conventional wheel rims 30 are supported on hub 16 by clampingmechanisms indicated generally by reference numeral 32. Conventionalinflatable rubber tires 34 are supported on the wheel rims in the usualmanner. The outboard wheel rim is provided with a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced teeth 36 formed around the inner peripherythereof and extending radially inwardly.

A brake disc 40 has radially extending slots 42 formed therethroughthrough which air may circulate during operation of the apparatus tocool the brake disc. A plurality of circumferentially spaced radiallyoutwardly directed teeth 44 are provided on the outer periphery of thebrake disc and mesh with the teeth 36 formed on the outboard rim of thewheel so as to prevent relative rotation of the brake disc with respectto the wheel rim, but permitting axial movement of the brake disc withrespect to the rim.

A rolled spring steel annular centering ring 50 includes portions 52which extend between adjacent teeth 44 formed on the outer periphery ofthe brake disc. This centering ring maintains proper axial alignment ofthe brake disc during all phases of operation of the brake mechanism.

A caliper is indicated generally by reference numeral 60 and includes acylindrical portion 62 which fits snugly within the outer end of bore 12formed through the axle. Portions 62 of the caliper carries keys 64which fit within slots formed in the axle so as to prevent relativerotation between the caliper and the axle. The caliper may also beprevented from rotating with respect to the axle by machining splines inthe axle and in portion 62 of the caliper. The caliper is held in placeby a snap ring 66 fitting within a groove 68 provided in the caliper.

The caliper includes a bifurcated portion defining two spaced parts 70.A friction pad 72 is fixed to one ofthe parts 50 of the caliper, and afriction pad 74 is carried by a movable piston means 76 which isslideably mounted within a recess provided in the associated part of thecaliper. Fluid pressure for operating piston 76 is provided through afitting 80 connected with a fluid line 82. Line 82 extends through asuitable bore provided in the caliper as well as the bore 12 in the axleand is connected with a source of fluid pressure which is adapted to beselectively controlled for operating the brake when desired.

A conventional swing joint is connected with the outer end of thecaliper and is in communication with a fluid line 92, extending througha suitable bore provided in the caliper and thence through bore 12formed in the axle. Line 92 is connected with a source of air pressurefor maintaining the rubber tires at a desired degree of inflation.

The swing joint is also in communication with a fluid line 94 whichextends through a hole 96 provided in brake disc 40. The fluid line is,in turn, connected with the hub 16 and is in communication with apassage 98 formed through the hub. Passage 98 is, in turn, incommunication with a fluid line 100 which is connected with a T-joint102. The T-joint is connected with the tire tube valve stems 104 of therubber tires 24, the valves having been removed whereby transfer andbalance of the fluid in the two side-by-side tires is afforded.

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, a modified form of theinvention is illustrated. A wheel hub 16 and a brake disc 40' correspondto similarly numbered parts in FIG. 2. In this form of the invention, aplurality of studs are anchored to the wheel hub and extend laterallyoutwardly thereof. These studs are received within complementary holes112 provided in the brake disc whereby the brake disc is connected forrotation with the wheel means and at the same time is free to moveaxially with respect thereto and in not restrained from axial movement.

While a flat brake disc has been illustrated, the brake disc could alsobe cup-shaped if so desired. The peripheral flange portion of such acup-shaped brake disc may be provided with notches engageable withcomplementary protuberances connected either with the wheel hub or thewheel rim. Such protuberances could be, for example, in the form ofwheel spokes or rim studs and the like. While a single brake disc hasbeen illustrated, a multiple disc arrangement may also be employed if sodesired.

An antiskid sensing and modulating device may be readily employed withthe outboard brake means of the present invention. Such devices areavailable as an option on certain automobiles and are used particularlyon airplane wheel brakes, and the device senses abrupt decelerations ofrotating wheels, such as occurs when a tire skids, and transfers thissignal to the hydraulic fluid pressure being applied to the brakes. Insome devices the pressure is reduced to a predetermined low rate ofdeceleration and in other devices the hydraulic pressure is rapidlycycled. Such an antiskid and modulating device can be mounted on thenonrotating axle. A sensing element can be supported by the axleadjacent to the rotating brake disc. The sensing element may, forexample, be an electrical coil, the core of which is magnetic andtherefore electrically sensitive to variations in flux due, for example,to iron protuberances carried by the rotating element and moving pastthe core of such electrical coil.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since thescope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changesthat fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form theirfunctional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are thereforeintended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. An outboard mounted brake comprising axle means, wheel support meanson said axle means, wheel means rotatably supported by said wheelsupport means, brake means including a first brake portion and a secondcooperating brake portion engageable with said first brake portion, eachof said first and second brake portions being disposed outboard of saidwheel support means, said first brake portion comprising a brake discdrivingly interconnected with said wheel means, said second brakeportion comprising caliper means, said axle means having a bore formedlongitudinally therethrough and opening through the outer end thereof,said caliper means including a portion fitted within the open outer endof said bore in the axle means for supporting said caliper means on saidaxle means, means preventing relative rotation of said portion of thecaliper means with respect to said axle means, a fluid line extendingthrough said caliper means, said brake disc having a hole formedtherethrough, and a further fluid line connected with saidfirst-mentioned fluid line and extending through said hole in the brakedisc, said wheel means including inflatable tires, said last-mentionedfluid line being connected with said tires to provide tire inflation andpressure balancing between the tires.

2. An outboard-mounted brake comprising axle means, wheel support meanson said axle means, wheel means rotatably supported by said wheelsupport means, brake means including a first brake portion and a secondcooperating brake portion engageable with said first brake portion, eachof said first and second brake portions being disposed outboard of saidwheel support means, said first brake portion comprising a brake discdrivingly interconnected with said wheel means, said second brakeportion comprising caliper means, said axle means having a bore formedlongitudinally therethrough and opening through the outer end thereof,said caliper means including a portion fitted within the open outer endof said bore in the axle means for supporting said caliper means on saidaxle means, means preventing relative rotation of said portion of thecaliper means with respect to said axle means, an annular centeringmeans operatively engaged with the outer periphery of said brake discand being dpositioned between the outer periphery of said brake (1186 anthe inner periphery of a portion of said wheel means for retaining thebrake disc in proper centered orientation relative to said wheel means,said centering means comprising a resilient relatively rigid ring, saidbrake disc having spaced teeth formed thereon, said ring includingportions extending between adjacent teeth on the brake disc.

1. An outboard mounted brake comprising axle means, wheel support meanson said axle means, wheel means rotatably supported by said wheelsupport means, brake means including a first brake portion and a secondcooperating brake portion engageable with said first brake portion, eachof said first and second brake portions being disposed outboard of saidwheel support means, said first brake portion comprising a brake discdrivingly interconnected with said wheel means, said second brakeportion comprising caliper means, said axle means having a bore formedlongitudinally therethrough and opening through the outer end thereof,said caliper means including a portion fitted within the open outer endof said bore in the axle means for supporting said caliper means on saidaxle means, means preventing relative rotation of said portion of thecaliper means with respect to said axle means, a fluid line extendingthrough said caliper means, said brake disc having a hole formedtherethrough, and a further fluid line connected with saidfirst-mentioned fluid line and exteNding through said hole in the brakedisc, said wheel means including inflatable tires, said last-mentionedfluid line being connected with said tires to provide tire inflation andpressure balancing between the tires.
 2. An outboard-mounted brakecomprising axle means, wheel support means on said axle means, wheelmeans rotatably supported by said wheel support means, brake meansincluding a first brake portion and a second cooperating brake portionengageable with said first brake portion, each of said first and secondbrake portions being disposed outboard of said wheel support means, saidfirst brake portion comprising a brake disc drivingly interconnectedwith said wheel means, said second brake portion comprising calipermeans, said axle means having a bore formed longitudinally therethroughand opening through the outer end thereof, said caliper means includinga portion fitted within the open outer end of said bore in the axlemeans for supporting said caliper means on said axle means, meanspreventing relative rotation of said portion of the caliper means withrespect to said axle means, an annular centering means operativelyengaged with the outer periphery of said brake disc and being positionedbetween the outer periphery of said brake disc and the inner peripheryof a portion of said wheel means for retaining the brake disc in propercentered orientation relative to said wheel means, said centering meanscomprising a resilient relatively rigid ring, said brake disc havingspaced teeth formed thereon, said ring including portions extendingbetween adjacent teeth on the brake disc.